One Summer In Rivendell
by Twilight-muse
Summary: Summery- Legolas and the King return from war with the intentions of having a peaceful summer, things do not go to plan. Chaos, romance, trickery and misunderstanding ensue. NO SLASH
1. Default Chapter

****

One Summer in Rivendell

Disclaimer: All characters belong to J.R.R. Tolkien. The theme is based on Much ado About Nothing which was written by Shakespeare not me! 

Summery- Legolas and the King return from war with the intentions of having a peaceful summer, things do not go to plan. Chaos, romance, trickery and misunderstanding ensue. 

This story is A.U. there is no Quest and no ring. Elrond has another daughter called Hero who has been adapted from Shakespeare's play. 

****

Chapter 1 

It was the height of summer. The glorious weather coupled with the fact that there was nothing much to do had forced the elves of Rivendell to leave the confines of their homes and flee to the beautiful countryside surrounding it. Lord Elrond had decided it was a perfect day for a picnic and had sent his twin sons to the kitchen in search of delicacies to suit such an occasion. Elladan and Elrohir now walked in front of him, their arms laden with such foods suitable for a King, or an elven Lord as it was that fine day. Such days were rare now, where he could spend quality time with his family.

Walking behind their brothers arm in arm were his daughters. Arwen, grace of the elves who's beauty defied imagination. She was a little too feisty for most. Nevertheless he was incredibly proud of her and his younger daughter Hero, who was gentle and kind, quite her sister's opposite, it was also true that she was her mother's image, so much in fact that sometimes his heart bled to look at her. 

"Sister, tell me the story of Beren and Luthien again!" He heard Hero demand.

"Sister!" Came Arwen's disgruntled reply. "I warrant that you could recite it backwards, for I have told you it so many times!" Hero pouted and grasped her sister's hand.

"But you tell it so well." She said pleadingly.

Arwen stopped and placed her hands on her hips. "Hero you are a hopeless romantic and no mistake!" She sighed.

"I warrant that if I asked you to tell me the story of that time you won a contest between yourself and King Aragorn you would be apt to that!" Hero said sulkily.

"Indeed because that sister, is a story of merit." Arwen said grinning.

"A story of violence more like!" Hero retorted and nudged her sister. "I think King Aragorn is a gentleman, and a noble King. I do not understand why you think him to be so..."

"Arrogant?" Arwen interjected. "Big headed? Insufferable? Annoying?" Hero smirked. "Hero I have known that man since he was a child.... I tell you he is an orc!" Arwen assured her.

Elladan paused in front of them. "Arwen do you not think that is a little harsh?" He asked.

"Indeed." Elrohir added. "King Aragorn is a brave warrior and a fine man."

"Of course he is brother!" Arwen retorted sarcastically, "You always have been well known for your notoriously low standards!" Elrohir frowned.

" I have heard that the king thinks as highly of you also." He retorted. "Last time he visited he told me that he had met none so.... charming." He added in a sarcasm edged tone.

Arwen grimaced "Come along Hero, we shall walk ahead of these wretches and have ourselves some **intellectual **conversation." She said casting her brother a disparaging look. It was then that a figure in the distance caught her attention. "Father, who is that?" She called back.

"It is a soldier, he bears the mark of Gondor." He said. "The King has returned." He added gleefully clapping his hands together. His family were all together at last. The war was over. It would be a wonderful summer.

"Then the peace of the summer is broken!" Arwen spat sarcastically. "For the mere sound of his voice grates my soul." She watched forlornly as her father ran to greet the messenger, soon after him her brothers followed. "Elbereth!" She muttered. "I wish I had not eyes to see him."

The messenger shook Lord Elrond's hand. "Well met, my Lord." He said.

"Bring you news of the King?" Elrond asked. "Is he well after the war?" 

" Well indeed and more powerful than ever." The messenger replied. "He approaches now and has sent me ahead to inform you of his arrival." Elrond smiled enthusiastically.

"Long has it been since I have seen him last." He mused, "For long I have desired to speak with him." He smiled warmly as memories engulfed him.

"I can't imagine why!" Arwen said. "The beautiful air of Rivendell would be destroyed by his foul breath!" The messenger was taken aback. It was an unexpected reply from such a beautiful Lady and there had been none before who would dare to make such a comment about the King. "Did King Aragorn fare well in these wars?" Arwen asked the messenger.

"Indeed." Was his reply. "The King was more valiant than I have ever seen him before." He added vehemently. Arwen nodded her expression doubtful.

"I am sure he was," She said coldly " I ask you. Did he actually venture to leave his horse in the throws of battle this time or did he merely oversee events?" She said placing her hands on her hips. The messenger once again blanched in shock.

"Lady I know not what you are implying but King Aragorn fought as well and if not better than all of the soldiers in the army!" He exclaimed. "He showed the utmost bravery and valour!"

"Did he?" Arwen said in mock astonishment. "Please then inform me...How many did he kill?"

"He made a fair total, why do you ask?" The messenger said, he was intrigued now.

"Well, you see, upon his last visit I promised him that I would eat all of those that he killed." Arwen said. Elrond laughed and placed a protective and he hoped stifling arm around his daughter.

"Please Sir, ignore my sister." Hero said. "For many years there has been a war of words between Arwen and the King. They **hate** each other." She explained.

The messenger nodded vacantly. "I see." He replied.

"Who travels with the Valiant King of Gondor?" Lord Elrond asked.

"Oh a selection of Middle Earth's finest Gentlemen." The messenger began. "Namely the Prince of Mirkwood and the King's cousins. Boromir and Faramir." 

"Thranduil's son is coming to Rivendell? I have not seen him since he was a child!" Elrond exclaimed.

"Please go now to the house and take any refreshment that you need, for I warrant your journey has been tiresome." The Messenger thanked him and took his leave.

"This is going to be a long summer." Arwen declared.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

King Aragorn travelled with his friend and closest ally Princess Legolas of Mirkwood.

"It is an amazing feeling to know that the war is now over and Middle Earth may exist in peace." The King said dreamily. 

Legolas nodded in agreement. "That it is my friend." He replied. 

"And it also warms my heart to know that I am returning to my childhood home." He said.

They reached the top of a small hill and the valley of Rivendell appeared before them. "Enchanting isn't it?" He asked. Legolas nodded again and Boromir rolled his eyes wondering how they had ever won the war when their leaders sounded like a couple of sentimental old women. " I warrant Lord Elrond will have prepared an enormous feast for us upon our arrival." Aragorn added.

The company walked on in silence for a few more moments before Aragorn said in a low tone. "I suppose now that the war is over, you will be eager to return to your home?" He asked his woodland friend. The Prince shook his head. "No, I have no desire to return as yet." He replied. " I would rather stay in your company for a while longer if you do not mind?" 

"I do not mind at all, I would be honoured." Aragorn replied, laughing at the Prince's politeness. 

"So Aragorn, what are your plans now that the war is over?" Boromir asked. "It is about time that Gondor had some heirs now that we have met times of peace."

"Cousin, I have told you before I am in no hurry to be wed. To be wed is akin to shackles. He said in disgust "Imagine this, I wish to go hunting. My wife does not wish me to go." He began "I decide to go any way and upon my return have to sleep on the floor.... No. I am still a ranger at heart. Marriage is not for me." He said waving a hand dismissively. 

"In that case I bet my bow that the King has never been in love?" Legolas said raising an eyebrow. "For if he had. He would never say such things."

"Love? What is it but an affliction?" Aragorn suggested. His company laughed. "Besides I have yet to meet one I think I could love well and doubt I ever will." He lied. There was one but he would never allow himself to speak of her.

"Who said anything about love?" Boromir said. "All I said was that Gondor needed heirs, I did not mention Love." Legolas cast a disgusted glance towards the man.

"When the King meets the one he can love with all his heart. Gondor will have the most beautiful heirs." Legolas mused.

Boromir glanced at Faramir who scoffed, "Prince Legolas you sound as if you have swallowed a book of sonnets."

"Faramir!" Aragorn said in a warning tone. "But indeed friend, for one who is not in love himself you speak very highly of it and with great authority I might add." He said. 

" Authority? I have none on that matter yet I plan to marry ere my return to Mirkwood." Legolas replied. "I think it is now time to settle down. War makes you realise what it is that is missing."

"Here, here." Said Aragorn, and a wistful look fell upon his features. The war had taken so much of his time these past years. It was becoming obvious to him that upon his return to Gondor there would be much missing in his life, he would have a lot of time on his hands. The group fell into a comfortable silence upon their arrival at the gates.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"They have arrived!" Hero cried excitedly. "Sister, come along!" She added, dragging Arwen from her chair. "Oh Arwen, hurry!" Arwen huffed and knocked her sister's hand away. "Why are you so eager to go?" She retorted. "It is only Aragorn and the pretty Prince" 

Hero rolled her eyes. "You can be unnecessarily cruel sometimes." She said. "The man has been to war! He deserves at least a warm welcome from you even if you cannot stand him." She reasoned. 

Arwen screwed up her face. "I should think that the King wishes to see me about as much as I wish to see him!" She said snatching her arm away from Hero. 

"Fine I will tell father." Hero said threateningly. " He would most like you to be there, you don't want to make him angry Arwen, you know what happened last time." Arwen rolled her eyes. Previously her father had banned her from sword practice for a month. This had been most unnecessary, she thought, as it was not her fault that she could not bear the man.

"Very well." She said shortly. "But do not expect me to be civil to the hateful rogue." A deep frown imbedded her features whilst she folded her arms in defiance.

"Such bitter words sister, such bitter words." Hero replied shaking her head.

Arwen glanced down from the top step of the magnificent entrance hall of Rivendell. Beneath her stood the object of her hatred. She glanced at a small statue placed upon the rail to the stairs, she resisted the urge to push it off. If she had it would probably land on the King and she would incur the wrath of the entire race of men. That was the only reason she did not. She glanced at Hero who offered a reassuring smile in advance. 

Upon seeing the King up close she realised that he had changed little. He still held the same rugged handsomeness and charm. She did not like to admit that she thought him handsome or charming because she thought it would only serve to add to his already too inflated ego and it would be almost impossible for him to enter the compounds of Rivendell at all, and it's gates were wider than most. She giggled a little at the mental picture this thought gave her.

Beside the King stood an elf that she had not seen before. From his appearance she guessed that he was the Prince of Mirkwood. Remembering her manners she curtsied. 

"Welcome to Rivendell." She said to the Prince, ignoring Aragorn completely. "It is an honour to finally meet you." She added without feeling. She turned to face her sister. "Hero I have done as you asked I will now ..." She paused upon seeing her sister's expression. "Why dear Hero you look pale are you well?" Hero did not move her eyes from the Prince. Arwen looked at the Prince who's countenance mirrored her sister's. "Havens!" She cried. She waved her hand in front of her sister's face. "Has nobody informed you that it is rude to stare?" She laughed.

"Hero, this is Prince Legolas of Mirkwood, he is a travelling companion, a magnificent soldier and dear friend of mine." Aragorn said, amused by Hero's love-struck countenance, He turned to face Legolas who's was just as bad and continued. "Legolas this is Hero, Elrond's youngest daughter and one whom I cherish as I would a sister." Arwen huffed and went in search of her father. Perhaps he would allow her to visit her grandmother in Lothlorian? Anything rather than spend a moment longer with that wretched human!

"The lady who storms forth so is Lady Arwen, Elrond's oldest daughter whom I cherish as I would a nail through my foot." Aragorn said and raised a challenging eye brow towards Arwen who stopped and turned. He smiled, it was almost possible to see the steam coming from her ears. 

"Pray Legolas tell me... where did a fine Prince such as yourself come across this pitiful excuse for a being?" She began. "Why it is almost as if you have returned from the war with one of those terrible orcs as a companion, hiding in the disguise of a King."

"It takes one to know one!" Aragorn retorted. Arwen glanced at her besotted sister and the Prince who was likewise clearly oblivious to the world outside of her. "Why do you speak so? Nobody listens to you... most of all I." She spat.

She turned away not waiting for an answer and went in search of Elrond, grabbing her sister's hand as she did so. Hero smiled bashfully at Legolas and followed her.

Aragorn watched them go with a deep frown imbedded on his features. He heaved a massive sigh and turned to face Legolas. "Come I will show you to your quarters." Aragorn said wearily. "You must be exhausted for I am." 

"I am not weary but stricken!" Legolas declared.

"How so?" Came the King's reply, although he feared he already knew the answer.

"Did you not lay eyes upon the fair daughter of Elrond?" He asked. "Never have I seen such beauty upon my time in Middle Earth."

"It is a pity that her mouth does not match her beauty!" Aragorn remarked. "If it did I warrant that she would sing as sweetly as a nightingale." He paused and frowned. "If however, on the other hand her face matched her words, she would very much represent a troll, a particularly hideous troll." He said. Legolas shook his head.

"It is not Arwen I refer to. I speak of Hero!" Legolas mused. " Fair Hero, forever I wish to hear that name."

"Of course!" Aragorn replied. "How silly of me to think.... Never mind. If it is Hero you want my friend then woo her." He said quickly in an attempt to hide his embarrassment. 

Legolas blushed. "I could not possibly." He said. 

"Of course you could." Aragorn replied. "You are a Prince!"

"I would not have the slightest clue of what to say. My whole life I have been a soldier, there has been little time for love." He remarked. "My life has been spent on much rougher things, I do not know the gentle ways of love." He added blushing.

Elrond appeared behind them, silencing their conversation. "Good day to you both." He said. "I have come to inform you that tonight a ball will be held in your honour. A masked ball." He said beaming. "I must go now for there is much to do... farewell I will see you this fine evening upon the hour of seven."

Once Elrond was out of earshot Aragorn turned to face Legolas. "This ball will provide the perfect opportunity for you to woo Hero." He said.

"I have already told you that I cannot!" Legolas said frustrated. "I will trip and stumble upon my words like a child who has barely learned to speak! She will think me a fool."

"In that case my dear friend, I will speak to Hero under the pretence of being you, it is a masked ball after all, I will have a mask and cloak to hide my identity." He said. "When she is won I will pass her to you. The rest I cannot do for you." He said with a wink.

"And I would not want you to!" Legolas said chuckling.


	2. Chapter 2

****

One Summer in Rivendell

Disclaimer: All characters belong to J.R.R. Tolkien. The theme is based on Much ado About Nothing which was written by Shakespeare not me!

Summery- Legolas and the King return from war with the intentions of having a peaceful summer, things do not go to plan. Chaos, romance, trickery and misunderstanding ensue.

****

Thanks to:

Gionareth: Thank you so much for your review, I hope I can keep it interesting!

Vikki: Thanks for the review mate but I can't answer your questions cos that will kind of give the ending away and would be no fun would it? ;) Hero is a cute name but it isn't mine it's Shakespeare's!

cold crystal tears: Thank you! I can't believe that I have created an Arwen that is it possible for you to like, jealous thing that you are! (he he).

lotrfan: Thank you for adding this to your favourites! I will read your story! 

Anonymous reviewer: Thanks here is another chapter!

****

Chapter 2 

His memory had become endless and he, as old as the Earth, or at least he felt it . As he pondered the mists of time and his contributions to it he weakened visibly and a pallor 

came to his cheeks. One only his brother would recognise if he saw it because he felt the same way too.

Elladan was heavy of heart and soul and there were few reminders of late to show him that life was worth living. His had turned to a cruel existence. His heart was as cold and deep as the oceans. There was but one being who could save him now, but she had left for the Havens many years ago. With his mother gone there was only one light in his life now and that was Hero. Not Elrohir as many may have thought. His twin only served to remind him of how he had failed and of how much he had lost.

To look at Elrohir was akin to looking in a mirror. All his weaknesses and faults were echoed there in his brother's eyes. There was no hiding from it. There they were bound yet distant for the rest of their immortal lives. Bound with love and hate but most of all shame.

When he thought of it, it brought sickness to him. Grief. He did not get there in time. He had been the one who failed, who did not get to his mother before she got hurt. He was an outcast now, even if all were too afraid to speak of it. He saw it everywhere. Every time he looked at his father, it was there in his eyes. "Why did you fail to reach her?" or "Why couldn't you save her?" 

It taunted him when he visited Lothlorian to recover from his mother's hasty departure. There were echoes of his mother in the voice of his Grandmother. Even she could not hide her disappointment in him and his twin. 

It had been Arwen's reaction which had hurt the most, a wave of insults and the most hurtful and truthful things he had ever heard. His father had told him that she had not meant the cruel things she had said. That it was her grief talking and no more than that. But he knew otherwise. He felt otherwise. It was there in the coolness of her voice. It had been the reason that their family had broken. 

She blamed him and she blamed Elrohir.

Time had done little to heal these ills although Arwen had returned and apologised for her 

behaviour he felt it in his heart that she would never forgive him.

Elladan now stood in the Great Hall watching Aragorn lead The Prince of Mirkwood to his quarters. His blood boiled.

"The Prince wants Hero for his love?" He said aloud to Elrohir who merely blinked. "I will not tolerate it." He added. 

"What do you mean to do about it?" Elrohir enquired, his rage escalating. 

"Get rid of him." Elladan spat maliciously. Elrohir smirked for his heart was equally as cold as his brother's.

"Hero is our only link to Mother, she is the only one who cares about us Elrohir. We can not allow her to suffer the same fate."

"What are you talking about?" Elrohir asked. Elladan rolled his eyes.

"Legolas is from Mirkwood." He stated, upon seeing no reaction from his brother he added. "Our Mother was slain by fell creatures such as those that dwell therein Thranduil's dark forest." He cried.

Elrohir nodded slowly. "Hero seems to be likewise taken by the Prince, that does not bode well for our plans." 

Elladan placed his head wearily in his hands and sighed deeply. He felt a arm rest upon his. "Do not lose hope Brother." He said softly. "Her growing feelings for the Prince can be suffocated as easily as the Prince can be deceived into returning to Mirkwood." 

Elladan glanced up in shock. It appeared that his brother, usually the less intelligent of the two had already formulated a plan. "Do not taunt me Brother, if you have an idea then speak of it!" He demanded.

Elrohir's eyes flashed green anger. "We merely inform Legolas that The King who woos in his place, in truth woos for himself and that Brother, should be enough to force Legolas to leave Rivendell and Hero behind I warrant." For once Elladan smiled a genuine smile.

"That Elrohir, just might be simple enough to work."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

Hero glanced at her reflection in the mirror. "Do you think Prince Legolas will like this dress?" She said smoothing down the deep blue fabric. "The colour matches his eyes does it not?" Arwen rolled hers. 

"Hero," She began ignoring the 'eyes' comment. "It has taken three hours for you to choose it. If he does not like it I shall kill him!" She turned and glanced at her sister who looked a little hurt by her coldness. She reconsidered. "Hero, you look beautiful, if the Prince does not fall in love with you upon sight I shall seriously doubt his intelligence." She smirked. "I have to say that I already do. Why he chooses to associate with Aragorn is beyond me! Ha! Perhaps he regards the king as a jester!" she laughed. "The fair Prince has a King as a jester!" She cried.

Hero smiled and shook her head, surprised at her sister's blatant deceit to herself. Why could she not see what was plainly clear to all? "Sister! I think Aragorn is a fine gentlemen. Indeed I think you have noticed that too! I saw your face this afternoon when you first encountered him." She said, laughing.

Arwen stood in one furious motion. "Do not speak of what you do not know, I told before that I....."

Hero placed her hand over her sister's mouth. "I will make a list of things I know to be true about the king and if you can truly say you disagree with any of them you may argue your case." Arwen rolled her eyes again. 

"Hero, I doubt you will find one thing that I can agree with." 

"We'll see." Hero said. "The King is handsome." Was her first point.

"Well that I can not deny but his terrible personality makes him far less than that!" Arwen retorted. Hero smirked. 

"I knew you thought him handsome!" She paused. "The King is valiant." Was her second point.

"Then sister you have an odd definition of the word! The King is lazy!" She spat.

"He is not!" Hero said disgusted. "King Aragorn has just waged war against Mordor and won!" She paused. "I think you like him deep down in that warped soul of yours Arwen Evenstar!"

Arwen placed her hand on her chest in a gesture of mock pain. Hero giggled. "The King is wise, and strong and handsome, you can deny none of this!"

"All of a sudden **you** think yourself so **wise**?" Arwen said laughing at her sister's brazen cheek! "I will tell you of the first time I met him. Then you shall not think him so." 

"Please do!" Hero requested, and took a seat by her sister.

Arwen sighed and cleared her throat. "Upon my return from Lothlorian many years ago, I decided to go walking in the forest... It had been many years since I had seen the trees and they always had provided the utmost comfort to me in my times of need. I cherished my time alone in there as I still do now. 

That night was like no other. The sky was clear and the forest spoke with thousands of voices carried upon a soft breeze. It was the most beautiful I have ever seen it...."

"Sister!" Hero stated. "I am aware of the virtues of the forest ...What of Aragorn?"

"I was merely setting the scene. I was trying to say how peaceful it was!" Arwen retorted. She lifted the irritated frown from her face and continued. "I was walking by the stream, when a sound interrupted my reverie. It sounded rather like a dying warg but I later discovered that it was King Aragorn.... although back then he was not a King but a young man of twenty years and he was singing! My curiosity was aroused so I endeavoured to find out what the wretched noise was, that is when he saw me. "Tinuviel!" He cried. Of course I thought him insane so I did not reply. Instead I meant to return to father to inform him that a human was trespassing on our land. Then he cried again. "Tinuviel, Tinuviel!" So I turned and said in reply.

"Of course not you ridiculous human! Tinuviel has passed from this life and onto the next!" To which he frowned and replied. "Of course she has... I was merely stating...." Arwen paused and blushed. She did not wish Hero to know how the King had mistaken her for the most beautiful elf ever to walk Middle Earth. She cleared her throat. "Any way I went back to inform father of the trespasser and he informed me that he was not that at all, Father had taken him in as a child. I of course had never heard of him as I had spent most of the past years in Lothlorian with our grandmother."

__

Hero looked at her sister thoughtfully. "Arwen I think that was incredibly sweet of him... to call you Tinuviel and to chase after you.... it's ever so romantic!" She said.

"Pah! Romantic my foot!" She retorted. "I think he showed extreme stupidity and he has changed little since then." Hero opened her mouth to respond. "And I will hear nothing else Sister!" Arwen interjected. "Now we must move or we will miss this ball and the sun will be rising to signify the beginning of another day!"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

"What should one wear to such a party?" Legolas asked. Aragorn threw a mask and cloak at him. "Why cover ourselves in such a way?" 

"Well for a Prince Legolas, you have lead a sheltered life!" Boromir exclaimed. "The point is.. .That any woman who you may ask to dance... or any thing else for that matter, will not know who you are!" 

Legolas frowned. "I still do not see the point." He stated. 

Boromir rolled his eyes for the second time that day. "The point is that if they cannot see who you are.. They are less likely to turn you down!" Faramir laughed heartily, Legolas started as this was a rare sound from the cousin of the King who was usually quite melancholy. "That is not true!" Aragorn announced. "It merely makes the party more fun." He lowered his voice loud enough only for Legolas to hear. "And provides the perfect opportunity for me to woo Hero in your place." He said.

Legolas nodded. "Indeed." He replied. "Let us hope that she does not recognise you." He said, feeling if truth be told a little apprehensive about the whole thing. He considered the alternative. 

__

Flashback

In the Forest of Mirkwood there had been an elf notorious for her beauty. Second to none other than Tinuviel and the fair Lady Arwen herself. Her name was Adia. Such was her beauty that none of the elves had dared even to speak to her. Legolas, in spite of being a Prince had been one of them. Every time he had been within a foot of her, he found himself stumbling over his words and without sounding too harsh, speaking like an utter imbecile. 

One morning, when snow covered the grand palace and the winter ball had taken place, he found himself in that all to familiar situation of having one too many glasses of wine. This had led him to believe himself to be slightly more confident than he was and he decided to take advantage of this new found self-belief by daring to speak to Adia. The Lady upon seeing him had been pleasant enough. He had never seen her that close before but even upon speaking to a Prince, it was clear that she thought herself to be a little more important than she was. This of course went unnoticed to Legolas as he was drunk on both wine and infatuation. 

They had rather a pleasant conversation about the ball so far and the current state of affairs in Mordor when Legolas suddenly announced. "Adia, I love you!" It was a slightly revised version of the speech he had rehearsed over and over in his mind but it served to get his point across. The Lady's face crinkled in disgust and amusement. She was many years older than Legolas, old enough to be his Grandmother in fact. She politely changed the subject and Legolas had never recovered from the rejection enough to tell any other of it. Incidentally he had also never touched wine since.

"So what do you think Legolas?" Came a voice, awakening him from his reverie. Legolas frowned. "Pardon?"

"Do you not think that Lady Arwen would make a fine queen for Gondor?" Boromir said as if he were speaking to a person of limited intelligence. Legolas laughed as a cushion thrown by the King hit Boromir square on the back of the head. "Next time cousin, it will be a book or perhaps a stone, not something soft!" Came the King's warning. "Lady Arwen would not make a fine queen anywhere!" Aragorn stormed out of the room and Boromir laughed. "He fools himself!" He laughed.

"What do you mean?" Legolas enquired.

"Elf are you blind?" Faramir interrupted. "It is clear to all that the King and the Lady of Rivendell are in love!"

"Don't be so absurd!" Legolas cried. "From what I have seen they cannot stand each other!" Boromir shook his head.

"Then you must learn to read between the lines." He informed him. "The King is secretive when it comes to matters of the heart, but one night after he had consumed many ales. He told me of their first meeting. Would you like me to tell you?" He asked.

Legolas nodded. 

"The King does not know that he told me, that was his extent of intoxication! When he was twenty years old he went wandering in the forest that surrounds this place. He hoped to practise his hunting skills.

He had been there a while when from behind a bush he saw the most beautiful light. In his wonder, he dared to step closer to it."

Legolas sat down eager to hear the rest of the story. His friend was indeed secretive and all he had shared thus far were methods of battle, these had proven extremely useful but were in no way as interesting as juicy gossip.

"It was of course Lady Arwen, and the King was instantly smitten. He even thought her to be Tinuviel herself." Boromir explained. "It was then that he called out to her, "Tinuviel." and the lady responded in a way that was most unexpected." 

"Go on." Legolas demanded.

"She called him a fool and informed him that Tinuviel had left Middle Earth many years ago!"

"She said that?" Legolas asked. " Surely it was evident that Aragorn thought only to let her know how magnificent she was and calling her Tinuviel was a fair complement!" 

"Indeed it is, that is what I said." Faramir added his eyes twinkling. "Lady Arwen has never been one to take compliments well though." He said on a lower note.

"That is true." Boromir agreed. "Legolas if you think her beautiful I warn you do not tell her unless you want your head bitten off." Legolas nodded, he had no intention of doing so.

"Any way since their meeting that day." Boromir continued. "Neither have spoken a kind word about each other in the other's presence."

"And this you view as evidence for their love?" Legolas asked, clearly baffled. "I do not understand the human method of thinking." Boromir, for the third time rolled his eyes.

"I told you to read between the lines. The Lady is much like a stubborn mule! She does not wish to be seen as weak enough to fall in love, especially with a human! Her eyes deceive her though. There it shows she loves him. Mark my words Legolas, the Lady loves the King and the King is as much in love with her."

Legolas grinned as a devious plan formed in his mind. He contemplated whether putting it into operation was the right thing to do. He shrugged. Of course it was. In many ways it would be like returning a favour.

****


	3. Chapter 3

****

One Summer in Rivendell

Disclaimer: All characters belong to J.R.R. Tolkien. The theme is based on Much ado About Nothing which was written by Shakespeare not me!

Summery- Legolas and the King return from war with the intentions of having a peaceful summer, things do not go to plan. Chaos, romance, trickery and misunderstanding ensue.

Cerridwen: Thank you very much for reviewing

Jashi: Yay a fellow Shakespeare fan! I swear I could write these crossover fics forever! About the Grammar *blushes in shame* I re-read my chappies and it was disgraceful! *Slaps own hand* I will keep a closer eye on it from now on. Thank you for reviewing :)

Gionareth: Thank you for still finding this interesting, this chap covers the Ball as requested!

Goth girl: You try and hide from me with all these different names but I know who you are!

Kit Cloudkicker: Oh Deary, they are going to get a lot worse! I read Sworn brothers by the way, it's fab! Update soon? Please?

****

Chapter 3 

Twilight had settled over the beautiful gardens of Rivendell. Small 0rbs containing light adorned the many trees, giving the garden a warm glow as night descended.

Hero glanced at the masked being by her side. "Do I not know you?" She asked.

The man shook his head. "Not well enough it would seem." He replied.

"Indeed. I would know that voice anywhere....Aragorn...." She said slowly. "Why are you here speaking to me when we all know the Lady you wish to speak to is now lurking by the exit and waiting for the first opportunity to escape?" 

"Excuse me, I have no idea of what you are speaking of." Aragorn denied. "I am here to woo but I do not wish to tempt the party pooper you so speak of." He cleared his throat. "Neither am I the King." He added hastily.

"You are Aragorn!" Hero cried. "Do not lie to me, I know you of old. What is my dear friend up to?" She said lifting the side of his mask up. "Not Aragorn indeed! Well I must say you bear a good resemblance!" She laughed. Aragorn removed his mask and sighed. Hero kissed his cheek before saying. "I cannot believe you attempted to deceive me!" 

The King shrugged, he was unable to keep his eyes from the Evenstar. Hero giggled. "Speak to her." She said.

"What would I say?" He said listlessly. "The Lady would not hear a word of it." Hero rested her head on his arm. It was a comforting gesture, but one that could easily be misread.

"She is so cold. She would sooner bite her arm off than speak to me in a friendly manner."

Hero sat up again. "It does seem that she is the ice queen of Middle Earth." She confirmed, Aragorn nodded sadly. "But." Hero continued. "She has so much love in her heart." Aragorn looked at Hero, wishing he could see this love she so spoke of. "She does!" Hero exclaimed. "You just have to break through the many layers of ice that hide it."

Aragorn laughed bitterly. "I have seen war, I have fought some of the most evil creatures on this Earth and the person I fear most is her." He said solemnly. "It is true I wish her to be the Queen of Gondor.... but.... Oh Hero! Why couldn't she just be you?" He said kissing her cheek. "Why couldn't she be sweet and kind.... and perceptive..." He said giving her a knowing glance. "Would you not love to be the Queen f Gondor?" He asked, and just for that moment he really meant it, Hero was gentle and kind, all the things he would love in a wife. It was the sound of said elf's sweet laugh that drew him forth from his reverie. 

"Do not be a fool. I do not love you anymore than as a dear friend and as a brother." She said, taking his hand. " And you love another." She reminded him. Aragorn smiled. 

"Shall we dance?" Hero said. Aragorn was about to accept when he remembered his true purpose for speaking to Hero in the first place. 

"Hero." He began. "What is your opinion of Prince Legolas? He asked.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Arwen stood in the entrance way to the great hall, glancing at the extra-ordinary celebrations taking place in front of her. Her father was not in sight. Hero was to busy talking to who she could only presume to be Legolas and her brothers were no doubt off creating some kind of mischief. It was the perfect time to escape. She had not wanted to attend this wretched ball in any case. A ball to honour the king? With her opinions of said human, she had no right to be there at all. It was hypocrisy, she was not celebrating his return at all. She loathed him.

She turned and made to leave when the sound of a throat being cleared alerted her to the fact that she had company. "Pray tell me where do you think you are going? The party has yet but started." She turned, trying to hide her distaste at being caught. In front of her stood a masked elf, or man she was not sure. 

"What does it matter to you if I leave or not?" She asked, placing her hands on her hips. "There are plenty of other fair maidens here that may take your fancy."

Legolas gulped beneath his mask and suddenly realised he may have made a mistake. If he could not woo for himself then how would he ever woo for the King? Especially as the object of the King's desire's was being most uncooperative! He had to think fast. "Therearenonehereasbeautifulasyou." He said and cleared his throat hurriedly. 

"I beg your pardon?" Arwen asked. For want of somewhere else to look, she glanced at Hero speaking to the assumed Legolas and then at the person in front of her. He was dressed in identical attire. It had to be the King, however, she had never known the King to be so bumbling and nervous. 

"Please Lady Arwen, would you take a seat with me?" He asked holding out his hand. She stared at it whilst contemplating what she should do. How would the King behave towards her in his presumed anonymity? She took his hand, which was much softer than she had expected. She rolled her eyes and thought 'Valiant soldier indeed! He has the hands of one who has never done a days hard work in his life!' 

They took a seat in front of a beautiful fountain. Every now and then the gentle breeze threw a little spay at them. It was quite refreshing for her as for some reason she found herself blushing profusely. Legolas cleared his throat again. "Tell me Arwen. What do you think of the King?" 

Arwen smiled. This was the perfect opportunity to say whatever she wanted, as the King would not be able to retort and blow his cover. "I think him rather ridiculous." She replied matter-of-factly. She saw her masked companion flinch a little before regaining his composure.

"Th-that's a little harsh do you not think?" He said. "The King thinks very highly of you." He added. 

"Does he?" Arwen asked. "Well then he wastes his affection, for I cannot stand him." She noted a thin strand of silver hair protruding from beneath her companion's cloak. She was speaking to the Prince? If so, who now spoke to her sister? She smirked. "Indeed I find the Prince of Mirkwood far more alluring." She said, in the most seductive tone she could muster. 

Legolas coughed and spluttered. "Really?" He asked. "The King is far more brave...a-a-and handsome than the Prince!" 

"No. That is not so! Not at all!"" Arwen replied, trying hard to overcome the giggles that threatened her.

"I - I have to go!" Legolas said standing abruptly. "There is a matter of much import that I seemed to have forgotten. Good Evening." Arwen collapsed into the fits of laughter she had thought so hard to prevent.

"Thinks highly of me indeed!" She said.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

He watched as the Prince ran through the door to the great hall and hit himself on the head. "I am a fool. An unbelievably stupid idiot." He muttered to himself. Elladan was inclined to agree with him but instead of voicing this opinion he said. "I am sure whatever it is it can not be that bad." The Prince started, not expecting to find the dark-haired there. 

"Sorry I did not see you there, why are you not at the ball?" He said, throwing his mask on a bench next to him. "You are Elrond's son is that not so?" Legolas said holding out his hand. 

Elladan shook it, whilst nodding. "I am Elladan." He informed him. "And such occasions of merriment are not for me. My purpose for being here is as the bearer of bad news." Legolas paled slightly. Had Aragorn found out about his feeble attempt to woo the Evenstar in his place? 

"I thought only for the best!" He said defensively, "Is the King terribly mad?"

"I know not of what you speak son of Thranduil," Elladan said in an irritated manner. "Mine is some other purpose." Legolas calmed a little and then thought better of it. What could possibly be worse? He returned his gaze to Elladan.

"I noted earlier that you were a little taken with my youngest sister?" The dark haired elf began.

Legolas nodded. "Indeed who would not be? She is beautiful." He said. "Inside and out." He added, not wanting his (hopefully) future brother in law to think him shallow.

"I am here to tell you that the King has been wooing her for the past hour." Elladan said smugly.

"I know, he does so in my place." Legolas said blushing, although it appeared that Elladan did not want any further explanation as to why.

"It did not sound that way. Forgive me for saying so but the King definitely sounded as if he woos for himself and intends to ask Elrond for Hero's hand in marriage." Elladan explained. Upon seeing Legolas's doubt he added. "If you do not believe me then ask my brother for he saw it too. He told her he loves her and he wishes her to be queen of Gondor. Why would he say that if he intended to woo her for you?"

Legolas sat down on the bed, it felt as if all the air in his lungs had disappeared at once.

"One who he loves as a sister?" He said echoing the King's words upon his meeting with fair Hero. "I was a fool to believe it." He added bitterly. "The King speaks words so sweet to **my** love?" He asked Elladan.

"It seems to be so." The elf replied.

"Then it seems my presence here is no longer required. I leave for my home immediately." Legolas said numbly. Elladan nodded. 

"I understand." He said. "You must be so terribly angry." He put a reassuring hand on Legolas's shoulder before adding. "Would you like me to help you pack?"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hero stood and embraced the man she regarded as her brother although he was a King and not elven. "You have brought me much happiness. I never thought it possible he would fall for me when Arwen exceeds me greatly in beauty and all other things that men desire." 

"It is not so." Aragorn began. "You are light, whereas she is dark. You are kind whereas she not. She is as cold as the deep sea." He added, but even as he said the words his heart died a little, they were true. How could he love one that hated him so? One that was so cold to him? Hero was about to protest when Aragorn placed his finger on her lips and said. "But let us not speak of her again. Instead, let us find your father and ask him if Legolas may have your hand in marriage."

Hero smiled broadly so caught up in her own happiness she did not note the sadness in the King's voice when he spoke of her sister.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Aragorn sighed. At least his friend would find happiness and love this summer. He himself had been dealt the most terrible fate. He would never be loved by the one he adored. Many times he had wondered why he thought so highly of her, she had given him little reason to do so. On many occasions he had found it difficult to get a word in before she pounded him with insults! He had learned many years ago that if you could not beat them you should join them. Now he offered as much contempt in the Lady's direction as she gave him and did not take offence when she spoke to him the way she did. Well at least not on the surface. His heart took a fair beating.

He opened the door to his shared quarters and was shocked to see Legolas sitting on the edge of his bed with his head down looking very melancholy indeed. Bags were packed around him "Why Legolas whatever is wrong?" He said. "Why are you leaving?"

"Do you need to ask? I would think it fairly obvious." The Prince retorted, not meeting his gaze.

Aragorn shook his head. "Whatever it is I am sure we can fix it later but I need you to come with me now." He said.

"Where?" Came Legolas's short reply.

"Legolas?"

"Because I have no will to go with you?" Legolas added. "The only place I wish to be is Mirkwood. My father was right to mistrust the race of men!" He spat, standing furiously.

"Are you ill that you speak so wrongly of my kind?" Aragorn asked. It was concern etched in his voice and not anger. Legolas now stood less than a foot away from the King, his face a mask of disgust and hurt.

"Not ill as such. Deceived." He said coldly. "For I believed a friend was doing me a favour but he sought only for his own happiness and gave little regard for mine." He glared expectantly at Aragorn who shifted uncomfortably.

"Legolas you speak in riddles." He said.

"Then let me tell you a tale..." Legolas said with mounting fury in his voice. "In times of war to beings of different race became friends. Between them there grew a great bond of trust. At the end of this Great War one of them offered to woo a beautiful lady for the other." He met Aragorn's eyes with a blue flash of fire. "Woo this friend did, but for himself **not** his dear friend."

"I assure you that whatever misgivings you have heard are untrue." Aragorn explained, in truth he thought the whole situation ridiculous. Legolas frowned.

"Still you lie?" He cried. "You did not woo Hero as yourself and tell her that you wish her to be the Queen of Gondor?"

"What? No I did not!." Aragorn replied. " Well I did, but I did not mean it that way."

Legolas laughed bitterly. "What other possible way could you mean it?" He cried. "Aragorn, if you loved her then you should have told me. I would not have allowed these feelings I have for her to grow and now, would not feel so entirely wretched." 

Aragorn shook his head. "How could you believe I would do such a thing? Legolas, we have survived a war through trusting each other. Do you truly believe I would deceive you in such a way?" The King beseeched. "Well in any case, it does not matter what you have heard." He added forlornly. "The Lady Hero awaits in the Great Hall to speak to you with her father." 

Legolas opened his mouth and closed it again. "But Elladan said...." Aragorn sighed, he wondered why the son of Elrond had been lurking around in such an ominous manner.

"He was wrong, he overheard but part of a conversation he should not have been listening

to in the first place." He explained. "Go now and speak to Hero for I believe she has words you desire to hear." 

"Aragorn I am sorry." Legolas said earnestly. "I should have believed you over one I have known merely a day." 

"It is of no import Legolas." He replied. 

"No it is." Legolas disagreed. "I should have believed you. Do you accept my feeble attempt of an apology?" 

"Of course I do." Aragorn replied. "It is nothing really." 

"Thank you." Legolas replied. "For everything." He added. Aragorn nodded silently and watched his friend exit the room. 

****


	4. Chapter 4

****

One Summer in Rivendell

Disclaimer: All characters belong to J.R.R. Tolkien. The theme is based on Much ado About Nothing which was written by Shakespeare not me!

Summery- Legolas and the King return from war with the intentions of having a peaceful summer, things do not go to plan. Chaos, romance, trickery and misunderstanding ensue.

****

Cold Crystal Tears : Ha ha! You can't fool me, you dodgy person you! Here is more! Now please calm down or I fear there may be accidents! 

Cerridwen: Thank you very much for the review! Go read Shakespeare it's great especially Much Ado'! It's my fave, very funny :)

Gionareth: Thank you so much! There will be no dancing as yet though, the course of true love never does run smoothly, especially for Aragorn and Arwen :) More chaos first I think! (he he)

Vikki: No the queen is not like an onion, she is like a cake as they have layers too you know and they are far less smelly which is a bonus for Aragorn! Thanks for the review.

Kit Cloudkicker: Damn those writer block demons! You are not alone there! They also attack me frequently! May I borrow Glorfy the Balrog Slayer and or Gandalf when you are finished with them please?????? Hope you have some inspiration soon! I really want to find out what happens next :)

Chapter 4

In light of his new found happiness and due to the fact that he had behaved in an unforgivable manner towards the King of Gondor the previous day, Legolas had decided that there was a most grievous matter that needed to be dealt with presently.

The King's love life.

He had already informed Boromir and Faramir of his feeble attempt to woo the Evenstar in Aragorn's place. Of course, said cousin's of the King found his tale hilarious and were unable to speak for several moments due to their unrelenting laughter. Legolas waited graciously for them to finish before unleashing unto them his plan.

"It has been agreed." He told them. "Between Lord Elrond, Hero and Myself that the King loves the Evenstar and she herself, feels likewise for him." Boromir stopped laughing.

"This we know." He said impatiently.

Legolas sighed. "I know that you know!" He cried frustrated. "But, it would appear that the King does not know that Arwen is stricken by him and the Evenstar is equally unaware that the King is deeply smitten with her."

Faramir blinked at the Prince's ramble of words. It seemed that Mirkwood's fair Prince was not as articulate as the rest of his kind. "So, do tell us your marvellous plan." He said listlessly.

Legolas stood excitedly. "It goes like this." He began. Boromir and Faramir rolled their eyes. Legolas chose to ignore them and continued with his cause. "Arwen loves to walk in the garden, so Hero tells me. This afternoon my betrothed and her maid Kendra will, within Arwen's earshot, have a conversation about Aragorn and her feelings for him." He said raising an eyebrow. Boromir and Faramir looked flummoxed. 

"It is as simple as that?" Faramir asked.

"Yes." Legolas replied defiantly. "We, along with Lord Elrond, shall have a conversation of the same nature within Aragorn's earshot."

Boromir erupted into a fit of laughter. "Do you know?" He said. "We could be beheaded for this." Faramir joined his laughter. 

"But it would be worth it do you not think?" He said holding his brother's gaze. "I for one am sick to death of the King skulking around the palace with no companion."

"Indeed." Boromir agreed. "And I am brought to the edge of my wits by his drunken ramblings about love.....It makes me rather nauseous"

Legolas could not prevent the chuckle that escaped his mouth. "Well that is settled then." He said. "This afternoon, we shall procure Gondor it's queen."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

Arwen had become decidedly irate with the constant noise that had accosted her home since the King's arrival in Rivendell. Her only escape, her only haven, was the expanse of Gardens that surrounded her home.

Worn out from the previous evening's celebrations she wearily took a seat on the fountain on which she had shared her encounter with the Prince. She chuckled at the memory of it.

'Are all men so hopeless when it comes to affairs of the heart?' She thought. She was yet to find one that could move her enough to want to spend a mere hour with! She sighed. In truth, most of them were afraid of her. She could not understand why, she would be civil to them, if they were civil to her. Most just never gave her the chance.

She laughed aloud at herself. Why was she thinking about love at any rate? A cold feeling washed over her. The truth was that she **had** been thinking about love, a lot more than she cared to admit to. Her naive sister Hero, had many times told her that there was somebody out there for everybody, and she was no exception to the rule. Of late she found herself thinking more and more about this elusive somebody. 

"Curse you Hero, and your confounded ideas!" She said standing abruptly. She continued to curse and mutter as she quickened her pace. "Some one for everyone indeed! I have survived thus far perfectly well without a husband and I mean to continue to do so!" 

It was voices that interrupted her rant. One was unmistakably that of her sister and the other, she guessed, was Kendra, Hero's slightly stupid and ever so annoying maid. Arwen could not stand her.

"I think it is terrible, unbelievably awful and preposterous that Aragorn does not have a wife!" She heard Hero say. "And a man such as he? It is almost to ridiculous a notion to conceive. Him... Alone." 

Arwen huffed and hid herself out of her sister's view. "If you are so taken with him Sister, why don't you marry him yourself?" She muttered.

"I know what you mean." Kendra said. "It is unfathomable! For he is handsome.... well at least by human standards."

"Oh Kendra!" Hero cried. "He is handsome by **any** standards! It is an absolute outrage that some fair lady has not snatched him off the shelf he is upon!" Hero laughed briefly before her face fell deadly serious. 

"Kendra, as my maid and friend, if I tell you a secret do you promise not to breathe a word of it?" She whispered. 

Arwen moved closer, even her elven hearing was strained to hear Hero now.

Kendra nodded vehemently. "Upon my life Miss." She replied. 

"It is a story of much woe." She began. "It begins when the King was but twenty years of age, a mere child in our eyes. One dark night, he stumbled into the forest and was met by a light. This light would haunt him forever. It was my sister."

Arwen gasped. "The King has called me a light? But I meant to only provide darkness where he was concerned." She thought. She returned her gaze back to her sister.

"Since that night he has loved none." Hero continued. "For his heart is consumed with her. Legolas said at night he sometimes cries for her love that cannot be his." 

"Oh how incredibly sad." Kendra remarked. "How awful!" 

"How awful indeed!" Arwen thought, suddenly feeling incredibly panicked. She hadn't meant it earlier when she said she was looking for her somebody. She hadn't!

Hero sighed loudly. "That is not the worst part." Hero added. "For I believe that Arwen loves him also." It was very rare for an elf to guffaw but that is precisely what Kendra did.

"How absurd!" She spluttered. "It is plainly obvious to all that Arwen cannot bear the King."

"Finally someone with sense!" Arwen thought in her hiding place. Her opinion of Kendra was definitely changing.

Hero rolled her eyes. "Do you know nothing?" She said. "Arwen loves him, I will stake my life upon it. She only wishes to reject him before he rejects her, which is a fruitless task because he would not. Both are too stubborn to be the one that gives in!" Hero made a frustrated noise. "And it strains me beyond my wits! That there it is right in front of them. Happiness, and it is as simple as one nice word, one friendly gesture, and joy beyond their wildest imaginations would be theirs!" Hero was so impassioned by her speech, tears had come to her eyes. Kendra offered her a handkerchief . 

"Thank you." She said. 

Arwen could do little but open and close her mouth a few times. She was in deep shock. 

Hero sobbed. "I just wish that she were not so cold towards him." She continued. "And I wish she were not so mean and stubborn!" She cried. "I love them both dearly and I cannot bear it Kendra. I cannot bear to watch them tear their lives apart!"

"I know Miss." Kendra said. "There, there."

Hero rested her head on her friend's shoulder. 

Arwen bit her lip. Was it as simple as that? One kind word? She knew it would not be her that gave in first. If indeed, as Hero said, the King did love her then she would require further proof of this. However, it would do no harm to perhaps be a little less mean to him in the mean time.

"I love my sister," Hero continued. "But she is as stubborn as she is beautiful!" 

Kendra laughed. "That she is." She replied.

Arwen huffed audibly this time. "Since when has being stubborn been a bad thing?" She thought. "And what does beauty have to do with anything?"

She tiptoed away more confused than ever, but enlightened also. She could not help but smile every time the thought came to her mind. "The King loves me?" 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Aragorn squinted as he aimed his arrow as the target danced before him. He balanced his bow precariously for a few moments before cursing it and throwing it to the ground. It was no good. He simply could not concentrate. Thoughts of the Lady had invaded his mind when all he wanted to do was clear it. He was unbelievably miserable. He briefly pondered his own sanity. He had won the war. He was King of a glorious and promising city. He had little to pity himself for, but he did. He did not wish to seem ungrateful for all that he had but..... he wanted more, so much more. He wanted love. He wanted somebody to share all he had with him. He wanted to share it with Arwen.

He slumped down on a bench and sighed heavily. 'Aragorn you are too old for such wistful thoughts.' He chided. 'Your purpose now is to find a queen for Gondor, it cannot be her' He rubbed his eyes and yawned. It was true that he had many admirers but few were genuine, most of them desired him because of his status as a King. There was one other than the one who's name he dared not to speak, that he would consider for his bride. Eowyn of Rohan. The Lady was brave and almost as valiant as a man. She was loyal and had even dressed as a soldier to help them fight without her uncle's knowledge. She was also very beautiful although, that held little importance, and she seemed rather taken with him.... He shook his head. He did not love her. Their marriage would be a sham and the Lady of Rohan deserved so much more than that.

He sighed, grateful that had managed to steal a few peaceful moments away from his family and Legolas. 

Or so he thought.

In truth his friends were now entering the training grounds with the intention of deceiving him greatly. For his own good of course. 

Aragorn opened his water bottle and drank. It was the same one that his mother had given him before she died. Every time he looked at it, it reminded him of her. The only woman who had cared for him. 

It had been his mother who had persuaded him that his love for Arwen was not entirely right. It was not the way of things. "Elves are not for humans." She had said. "Set your sights on somebody else, lest your poor heart should break."

But his heart had broken.

He sighed again. In many ways he was relieved that Arwen behaved the way she did towards him. If she were kind to him, it would only make his situation more difficult. He should at least be grateful for that. 

"I told her many years ago, as I have told all my children..." Elrond began, waking Aragorn from his melancholy and causing him to jump up and hide. He **really** did not wish to speak to anybody at that moment. He concealed himself behind the bench he had been sitting on.

"I told her..." Elrond continued in a bellowing voice. "Arwen, your heart is yours to give to whomever you choose. Be it Elf, man, dwarf, or even hobbit!" He laughed and so did his companions who Aragorn discovered were his cousins and Legolas.

"I do not understand." Legolas said. "Why it is that she has not yet found a husband."

"Ha!" Boromir interjected. " The lady is too fussy!" 

"No," Elrond said. "That is not it." He added. "There is one that she loves." 

"There is," Legolas agreed. "Hero told me of it." 

Aragorn felt his heart sink. It had already broken but if he had to watch her marry somebody else he feared it would disintegrate. 

Elrond nodded. "I have been witness all these years to it. I have watched love blossom in her heart from a small bud into the beauteous rose it has become." He said sighing. "In truth, Boromir and Faramir, My daughter loves your cousin."

Aragorn gasped. "The only cousin that Boromir and Faramir have is me!" 

"The Lady loves Aragorn?" Faramir asked. "Nay it can not be so! She is positively hateful to him, is that not so?" 

Boromir shook his head. "Brother, they do say that love and hate are two very similar emotions." He said.

"Aye that's the truth." Elrond said.

Aragorn collapsed from his crouching position to the floor. He was completely dumbfounded by what he had heard. 

"Arwen, grace of the elves and of this Earth, is in love with....me?" He whispered, and a cold feeling washed over him. "All these years I have wasted......all these years."

He turned back to his friends who were now deeply immersed in conversation. 

"It is truly very sad that both are stuck in the habit of being unnecessarily unkind to each other to shield their love." Legolas mused.

Boromir and Faramir nodded whereas Elrond sighed deeply. "All I wish is for all my children to be happy." He said. "Hero has found a fine match in you Legolas. Arwen would be a great match for Aragorn. I doubt it not." He said. "But my daughter has sentenced herself to a life in chains! Bound by her own stubbornness and disdain. Why, Hero told me that Arwen wishes to cast aside this mask of hers and show her true gentleness." Elrond cried. 

Legolas pulled him aside and whispered. "Perfect. Perfect. He will fall for this hook, line and sinker."

Elrond stifled a chuckle and continued. "Hero said at night she weeps." Boromir and Faramir made sympathetic noises. "She cries and falls upon her knees at the very sound of his name!" 

The group fell silent. 

A smile spread across Aragorn's features as he sat down in disbelief. This happiness was short-lived as his mother's words came back to him. "Elves are not for Humans." He muttered.

If he allowed her to fall in love with him, he would break her heart.

He would die and he would break her heart. 

He closed his eyes to prevent tears falling from them and bathed in the sunlight for a while until a dark shadow blocked the warm rays out. He opened his eyes ready to reprimand whoever had stolen his precious light. It was his Lady and his Love. Lady Arwen of Rivendell. She stood with a deep frown imbedded in her features and her hands on her hips.

"My sister and your companion the Prince, have sent me against my will to find you and inform you that they wish to eat dinner with you." She said grimacing.

"I will be there in a moment." Aragorn replied, offering her a weak smile.

"Well, hurry it will get cold." She said, her tone a little softer, she smiled at him. She actually smiled at him, before she turned and walked back towards the house, her dress trailing behind her. 

Aragorn smirked. "Lady Arwen does nothing 'against her will' as she so says... It is clear she cares for my well being by informing me of dinner." He frowned. This was going to make things so much more difficult. 


	5. chapter 5

****

One Summer in Rivendell

Disclaimer: All characters belong to J.R.R. Tolkien. The theme is based on Much ado About Nothing which was written by Shakespeare not me!

Summery- Legolas and the King return from war with the intentions of having a peaceful summer, things do not go to plan. Chaos, romance, trickery and misunderstanding ensue.

****

Thanks to:

Kit Cloudkicker: Thank goodness for that! I wish my writers block demons would go away. I just seem to be writing rubbish lately! (Which is why it has taken me so long to update!) They just won't stop torturing me! Thanks for reviewing!

Cerridwen: I would say read everything! But after Much Ado, my fave is The taming of the Shrew! I am currently reading the Dark Materials Trilogy by Philip Pullman, they are incredible. (Almost as good as Lord of The Rings!)

Cold Crystal tears: The little 'beep' tell him to 'beep' off! That is my only advice to you! I live in fear of things getting hurt with you around! (No offence!) Please lay off the coffee and any other caffeine based stuff. 

Gionareth: Yes! Finally we have a smile and a small sign that Arwen is not as cold hearted as she thinks he is.... but then who could resist Aragorn?? 

Chapter 5

Elladan balanced a book carefully on his knees, his deep green eyes perused the page, taking in the elegant print on the parchment before him. The words did not travel from his eyes to his mind however. There were too many other thoughts that dwelled there. There was little warmth to be found . He lifted his head to his meet his brother's equally icy gaze.

"The wedding is tomorrow and we are yet to find a way to prevent it." Elrohir stated with a furrowed brow.

"I am aware of this brother." Elladan informed him. "If you have any ideas I would be pleased to hear them."

"My mind remains empty." He replied. Elladan returned his gaze to the book.

"I can not believe father has let this happen!" Elrohir said standing in one furious motion. Elladan looked at him disapprovingly. "Such a temper!" He said. "You betray our race with such behaviour." Elrohir glared at his brother. 

"I have reason." He declared. "Do not tell me you plan to let this go ahead?" 

"No I do not, but how am I to think when all I hear in my mind is your incessant whining?" Elrohir reclaimed his seat and held his steady glare to his brother. His twin appeared to be fully engrossed in his book again. Did he have no sense of urgency?

It so happened that to the twin's benefit they had a serving elf who was particularly easy to manipulate, especially with the promise of a few extra coins in his pocket. He went by the name of Gwynn and Elladan and Elrohir were particularly fond of him. Or at least they let him believe that. He had proven himself to be very useful to them before now and would do so again in the future.

It also came to light that by coincidence Hero had a maid called Kendra, who not only resembled their fair sister but was, thankfully to their cause, extremely gullible, although she had a heart of gold and would not willingly hurt anybody. It would be the first quality mentioned that the Twins would prey upon this time.

"Brother, what if Prince Legolas were to see our sister with somebody else?" Elladan asked not looking up from his book.

"I suppose he would become ill with rage and call the wedding off." Elrohir replied listlessly. "But there is no way on Middle Earth that would happen. She is as deeply smitten with the beautiful Prince as he is with her. She would not indulge in anything that would risk his love."

"Indeed, but what if **Legolas** were to believe that she **had**?" Elladan asked.

"Elladan I do not follow." Elrohir commented.

Elladan stood his green eyes alive with some kind of mixture of mischief and evil and whispered his plan to his other half.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"I can not believe that scarcely a month has passed since we left the burning wreck of Mordor and tomorrow I am to be married to the fairest and kindest elf ever to walk Middle Earth." Legolas stated. "It is as if I have strayed into some life I was not aware that I wanted." He paused for a moment, deep in thought. "My life starts tomorrow." He declared after a few moments. "For tomorrow Hero will be mine and I will be hers."

"Once again my dear elven friend sounds as if he has swallowed a book of love songs!" Aragorn teased. "What of us doomed to spend eternity alone?" Legolas stopped and took his friend by the shoulders. "You are so by choice." He informed him. "I know of a certain White Lady who would have been yours in a shot if only you had allowed it to be so."

Aragorn opened his mouth to protest but Legolas stalled him. "I will hear no arguments, King or no King. I know the truth." Legolas said. Concern edged his voice for although up until that point, his intentions of bringing the King and the Evenstar together had been somewhat light-hearted in nature, he now knew the King's heart. Aragorn stared back at him blankly. "You think that you cannot be read but I assure you that you can. You did not love the Shield maiden of Rohan no, you love another. But there are complications are there not? You concern yourself with matters of immortality and mortality and perhaps do not think yourself worthy of love from a lady such as the Evenstar but...."

"Wait!" Aragorn boomed. "Who said anything of the Evenstar?" 

"You did." He said.

"When did I?" Aragorn said. "I do not recall doing so."

"Your face speaks volumes. Upon the first time you saw her upon returning from these wars it spoke of her. Again in your eyes every time there is a whisper of her name they brighten. Is it not so that you love her?" 

"No more than most." Aragorn said, an air of offence in his voice. 

"Well I never thought the saviour of men a liar!" Legolas declared light-heartedly. "But I will leave it for now if that is what you desire."

"It is." Aragorn confirmed. "I love her no more than I love ..... being ill!" He said struggling for a comparison.

The friends walked in silence for a little longer. Every now and then Legolas would take a peek at his lovesick companion and find himself stifling his laughter. Were all humans this stubborn? There happiness for him stood in front of him for the taking and all he had to do was grasp it , yet he did not. After a few times of noticing his friends amusement Aragorn found himself to be telling Legolas something that he had never planned to utter. "Very well I love her!" He blurted. "But if it were as simple as that do you not think I would have told her?" 

Legolas smiled. "I know." He said. "But it is you that is making it difficult!" He reasoned.

Aragorn shook his head in a frustrated manner and said. "It is all very well for you to say that!" He paused and sighed. "When I met her, I knew it was her I would love forever. It was as if I had wondered into a dream. I was Beren and she was Lucien. She sang beautifully and I watched her from a distance for a while before she noticed me." He laughed. "She of course did not respond as well to me, but I believe it is not her way. It is almost as if she objects to being called beautiful." He shrugged his shoulders. "I know she does not hate me as she makes it appear." He added. 

"She does not." Legolas agreed.

"I went to my mother and told her of this new love I had discovered and she quelled my happiness with one phrase. 'You are not for her.'.... she was right. There is only heartbreak to be found here. She will live forever. My life will pass in a blink of an eye. Elrond will hate me for taking his daughter away." He listed.

"There are many things against you that is true." Legolas began. "But you two are meant as Beren and Lucien were. I sense it Aragorn, as does Elrond."

Aragorn gasped in shock. "You have a lot to learn, Aragorn. Eternity is a long time to live without love. We elves would give that up in a second to experience the passion that is shared between you and Arwen. Elrond would tell you the same if you asked him." Legolas said wisely. Aragorn fell silent in thought for a few moments and was about to speak again when voices disturbed them.

"Gwynn, I warrant that we will be in trouble if we are caught here." Came a breathless voice from above.

"What have we here?" Aragorn said and glanced above him. "Lovers?"

Legolas looked up also a smile on his face. It was soon to fade. 

"Hero." He heard a male voice say, He frowned and squinted trying to justify to himself what he had just heard. The couple kissed passionately "Gwynn." The Hero above repeated, this Gwynn that had stolen her love away by simple pleasures such as those they were now sharing. He looked at the silhouette of his love in a deep passionate embrace with a servant and slowly bitterness encased his heart. How soon after discovery happiness could be lost. He glanced at Aragorn who's expression offered him little comfort. The King stood open-mouthed, his face a mask of confusion. "It cannot be." He exhaled. "I won't believe it!" 

"Hero." Gwynn repeated before kissing her passionately again.

A wave of rage overcame Legolas and he began to run back to his chambers away from the vision that would haunt him forever. How cruel love was. Give him war over this any day.

Aragorn remained bolted to the spot, unable to take in the sight before him, but there it was indeed. Hero stood in the embrace of another elf seemingly without remorse or feeling for Legolas. "I think I am falling in love with you." Were the last words he heard her sweet mouth say before he decided he too, could hear no more. He went in search of his friend, who would no doubt need him more than ever.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Gwynn smirked. "Was that not a fun game?" He asked Kendra. "For a moment there all our poverty and servitude was forgotten. You were fair Hero and I was Gwynn, a wealthy elf."

Kendra giggled. "I will not argue with you Gwynn, but if we were caught then... Oh what if someone had seen us?"

Gwynn offered a genuine smile to Kendra. "I would shout our love to all the world." He told her. "I think I should like to play this game more often."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Aragorn burst through the doors of Legolas's chambers to find the Prince with his back to the door. "Legolas there has been a mistake!" He cried. "Hero did not... Hero would not...."

Legolas turned, unable to hide the tears that flowed freely down his face. "But she did Aragorn. You saw it as well as I." He said coldly. He returned his gaze to the window.

"What are you going to do?" The King asked softly. Legolas shrugged. 

"I hope you will not think me rude Aragorn but I think I need to be alone." He said coldly.

"Of course." Aragorn said. "Please find me if you need anything." He added, before hesitantly leaving the room.

It was then Legolas broke down. He the valiant Prince of Mirkwood was crying over an elf he had met two days previously. He would never believe that myth of love at first sight again. 

He was most annoyed when the door opened again. "Have you seen Ara...." It was Boromir, who's question was suddenly halted by the Prince's appearance.

"Legolas, what has happened?" He asked.

"I know not how to speak of it. I fear my heart will break." Legolas said. "It appears that I have been deceived. Hero loves another."

"I do not understand, I thought that you were to be married tomorrow." Boromir said. 

"So did I but I do not know now." He proceeded to tell Boromir the whole sorry tale. Boromir shook his head. "Do not tell me that you plan for the wedding to go ahead?" Legolas met his gaze. "For if you are Prince Legolas, that would be a huge mistake! If the Lady is unfaithful ere you have even spoken your wedding vows that does not bode well for your future. Cut off your bond to her. Teach her a lesson." 

"How do you propose I do that?" Legolas asked.

"You will out her as the fraud she is at your wedding tomorrow." He stated.


	6. 6

****

One Summer in Rivendell

Disclaimer: All characters belong to J.R.R. Tolkien. The theme is based on Much ado About Nothing which was written by Shakespeare not me!

Summery- Legolas and the King return from war with the intentions of having a peaceful summer, things do not go to plan. Chaos, romance, trickery and misunderstanding ensue.

Thank you to the following: 

Gionareth: Sorry you are having trouble with chapter 5. Please let me know if you still can't open it and I will email it to you :)

Cold Crystal Tears *hides Dad's new kettle* Har har what ya gonna do now! Thank you for the nice comment!

Vikki: Thanks hunny! No one else likes the Harry Potter one! I think you are the only person reading it!!! I am not gonna tell you if they find out! (although that is kind of sorted out in this chapter) :)

Grumpy: Thank you very much for reviewing.

Cerridwen: Thanks for reviewing!

Sandrea: Thank you for reviewing:)

Copperstring: Elladan and Elrohir are very good at staying unnoticed but I agree with you, Legolas is being thick! Thank you for reviewing!

Kit Cloudkicker: I just read chapter 8 and it's great! Thank you for the loan of the slayers by the way. I really need them as I am having a lot of trouble writing a sequel to 'You Can't Trust Elves.' 

****

Chapter 6

The decorations really were exquisite, it was a shame, Legolas thought, that today would not be the happy occasion every body expected. He glanced down the alter and briefly at the guests that sat on the flower adorned seats. Quite by accident, he met Aragorn's gaze. He saw concern there but the King offered a small smile of encouragement. 

He was surprised that he was still standing. His heart was broken and he had been deceived in the most terrible manner. How would he ever trust another again? But today anger would be the stronger of his emotions. He would announce to all here that Hero was a fake and not Rivendell's darling as she seem to be portrayed. He had not told the King of his plan. He knew that he would try and talk him out of it. He was a prince and he could not be seen to allow this kind of thing to happen to him. She would have to be punished.

He was oblivious to the music when it began to play and Hero's beauty was lost on him as she approached him down the aisle. His vision was obscured by a red shroud of anger. 

Soon the Lady was by his side, smiling that beautiful smile of hers. She offered Legolas her hand, he took it roughly and turned her towards Lord Glorfindel who would begin the wedding vows. Hero flinched and regarded Legolas with shock.

"It seemed not too long ago that Middle Earth would never see such happy occasions of as this. It warms my heart to be able to join the Prince of Mirkwood to Imladris's own princess. It is a day of much joy and one that will signify hope to all generations. Elf and Man." Glorfindel began, nodding towards Aragorn.

"Legolas are you here today to marry this lady?" He continued.

"No." Legolas replied shortly.

There was an audible gasp from the congregation. Elrond laughed, "Indeed Glorfindel, have you not been performing these ceremonies for years? You come to **marry** her, Legolas is to be married **to **her?" The guests joined in his laughter.

Glorfindel turned to Hero and asked. "Are you here today Hero, **to be **married to Legolas?" He asked.

"I am." Hero replied laughing.

"Very well, now before I continue with this ceremony, is there anybody here that knows of any reason why this wedding should not go ahead?" 

Legolas turned to Hero, his eyes burning with anger. "Do you know any reason we should not be married?" He asked her.

Hero shifted uncomfortably under his gaze. "No Legolas." She replied. "I know of none."

"Legolas what is going on? Why are you speaking to her like that?" Arwen asked.

"Indeed, Glorfindel added. "Legolas now is the time to speak if you do not wish the wedding to go ahead."

"There is no reason they should not marry!" Elrond said becoming agitated.

Legolas shifted his gaze to Elrond. "He speaks of what he does not know!"

"Do you not wish to marry my Hero?" Elrond asked.

"I understand why you are so eager to be rid of her!" Legolas cried. "For if I had a daughter such as her I would be shamed into the ground." He turned to Hero who had begun to sob audibly.

"Please Legolas I have no idea what you are talking about!" She cried. 

"Of course you don't! Legolas snapped. "You see Elrond, your daughter assured me that her love for me was true. Never were such evil lies told. It could have been breathed from the very fires of Mordor!"

"Legolas!" Aragorn cried.

"And you," Legolas continued. "You saw it did you not? You saw Hero cavorting with a mere servant? Why do you not speak of it?" He cried.

"Aragorn is this true?" Elrond said stunned. 

Aragorn could say nothing but he nodded.

"So I will not have your daughter Elrond," Legolas said coldly. "Take her back!" He said pushing Hero back to her father. Hero collapsed to her knees. Legolas walked past them tears prickling his own eyes, Arwen watched in shock as he passed her.

Elrond kneeled down to his daughter's height. "Never have I been so ashamed Hero."

He said coldly.

"You do not believe I would do this?" Hero cried.

"I would never have believed it of you Hero." Her father began. "But the Prince and the King both saw you with their own eyes. Do I call them liars Hero?" He said with mounting fury in his voice. "Well do I?" 

Hero sobbed loudly. "I did not do this Father, you have to believe me. Please?" Elrond shook his head. "You disgust me! I did not raise my daughter's to behave this way." He stood and walked away, leaving the guests stunned. 

Hero collapsed to the ground crying so it seemed she would never stop. It was almost possible for the guests to hear her heart split in two.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Arwen cried so hard she fought for her breath. What kind of spell was the Prince of Mirkwood under to behave in such an unforgivable way? She ran down the halls of Rivendell her tears echoing off the walls as she did. Hero had passed from tears of grief into a deep sleep and none had been able to rouse her.

She pushed open the doors to the gardens and a breath of cool air dried her tears to her face. Hero sweet Hero, who had been their light in dark times. What had she done to deserve such treatment?

There were no answers to her questions.

"Why would anybody do this? How could anybody do this?" She whispered to the moon. Arwen had always believed that her main strength was her ability not to let things get to her. Not this time. This time the tears just would not stop. She fell to her knees and finally let the deep sobs overcome her. Not caring if anybody heard. Not caring about anything but Hero.

It was in this state that Aragorn found her. Weakened. 

"I..." He began. Arwen started and wiped the tears from her face furiously. She met Aragorn's gaze with anger. "I was looking for you." Was all he could say. Arwen's look softened and more tears replaced the anger. Aragorn knelt by her side. "Why do you weep so?" He asked.

"Do you need to ask?" Arwen said bitterly. "Today a great injustice has taken place." Aragorn offered her his hand and helped her up. She was still breath-taking in spite of the tears that had streaked her face. 

"Indeed it has." He agreed. Arwen looked deep into his eyes and for a moment could not look away. Her breath caught in her throat.

"Arwen..." He said. "I..."

"I should get back to Hero." Arwen stated.

"There is nothing you can do for her now. You should get some rest." Aragorn informed her. "It would be no good if you fell ill with grief also." Arwen sighed.

"Why do you care?" Came her harsh reply. "You would not care if I were living or dead."

"Why such cold words?" Aragorn muttered beneath his breath. "If the lady knew how I felt for her then...." He paused. Perhaps it was time to tell her. "Arwen. If you were dead and not living, my world would seem as cold, dark and empty as the mines of Moria." Arwen gasped and began to speak but Aragorn placed his finger to her lips to stop her. "For Valar's sake woman, for once in your life would you cease your strife and let me speak?" Aragorn demanded. "For years have I watched you, for years has my heart longed to be near you and since the moment I saw you, I have loved you." 

It was difficult to gage a reaction from Arwen. The Lady had not hit him, retorted with an unreasonable sarcastic comment or run away as he had half expected her to. Instead she fell to her knees and wept some more. "Have I said something wrong?" Aragorn asked hurriedly, "I mean no offence Arwen." In response to this, Arwen merely wailed louder. "I promise you Arwen, every word I speak is the truth!" He proclaimed. 

"I... do.... not ... doubt you." Arwen began through sobs. "Indeed I take you at your word and return your feelings with so much of my heart there is little room for argument." Aragorn embraced her. 

"For seemingly endless years has my heart longed to hear those words." He said softly, and placed a chaste kiss upon her lips.

"I cannot do this now." Arwen said. "Not with Hero near to death in her chamber."

Aragorn embraced her tightly. "You are right. Now is not a time to woo."

Arwen pulled away. "I am filled with such anger!" She cried, throwing her arms up. "Is it possible for one to be so happy and sad all at the same time?... Indeed my heart swells with happiness that you love me Aragorn but at the same time..... It longs for the person who caused this fate to befall my dear sister to be put to death..... for their life to end in such an abrupt cruel way as her happiness was ended today....." She paused as an idea presented itself in her mind. Indeed it was wrong of her to suggest such a thing to Aragorn, a King, but at times such as these when anger ruled her decision making and not common sense there seemed no way of stopping her from speaking her dreaded request. "Aragorn.....If you love me as you claim to, then you will find Legolas, hunt him down and kill him for what he has done to my sister."

"I shall not!" Came Aragorn's immediate reply. "Are you out of your mind, I would not kill Legolas for all the world, he is my friend!" He added with disgust.

"Well then you will not avenge Hero and prove your love to me?" Arwen cried. 

"Indeed no!" Aragorn said with disbelief. "I will not prove my love by death."

"Well then think you that Hero is guilty of the crimes that she has been accused of?"

Arwen asked. "Indeed you must for...."

"I saw her with my own eyes." Aragorn finished. Arwen hung her head.

"There is no hope for us." She said coldly. 

"There is always hope." Aragorn said taking her hand gently.

"Have you not known Hero all these years?" She asked. "Is she not the one you said you treasured as a sister that you had never had?"

"Indeed, Arwen, she is." Aragorn replied.

"Then is it not so that deep in your heart you **know **that she would not do those things that you think you saw? She is wronged. She has been slandered!"

"I know what I saw, Arwen it was her, or if not an exact duplicate of her!" Aragorn cried.

"A copy of Hero, yes! Not Hero herself!" She sobbed. "Did you see her face Aragorn?"

"I did not." The King admitted. 

"Then you were deceived. I know it in my heart.... You were so quick to judge and now Hero will likely never waken to see us again. You put her there Aragorn, in that cold, dark. lonely place she dwells. You and your charming woodland friend!" Her grief mixed with anger had now taken control of her and she fought to remain standing. "If, you love me as you proclaim to then you will go and find Legolas and kill him....If you do not then prepare me a grave aside the one that they have prepared for Hero for I will have need of it presently."

Aragorn watched in silence as tears engulfed the love of his life. He sighed. "I have no joy in this." He whispered. "Can you not see that none of this is Legolas's fault? He was also deceived."

"It was his cruel words that have made her ill. His hate that may end her life." Arwen sobbed. "You must kill him."

"Not for all the stars in heaven." Aragorn replied.

"You will avenge Hero if you love me." Arwen repeated. "I will hear no other argument. If you do not kill Legolas, there is no future for us." She said vehemently before leaving Aragorn more lonely than he had ever felt before in his life.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


	7. chapter 7

****

One Summer in Rivendell

Disclaimer: All characters belong to J.R.R. Tolkien. The theme is based on Much ado About Nothing which was written by Shakespeare not me!

Summery- Legolas and the King return from war with the intentions of having a peaceful summer, things do not go to plan. Chaos, romance, trickery and misunderstanding ensue.

Thanks to:

Daydreamer 22688 

Cerridwen : I don't think I'll be following the play so closely from now on, this has kind of taken on a life of it's own! Any way hope you are enjoying the play!

Cold Crystal Tears: Yes and I am updating again without telling you!!! He he - I will time how long it takes you to notice this time!

Gionareth: *Lines up behind the rest of the people who want to slap Arwen* Sure! I will gladly slap her for even suggesting such a thing! Thanks for reviewing! :)

Taraisilwen: I suppose she is not very much like Tolkien's Arwen! Glad you like the story, thanks for reviewing!

Kit Cloudkicker: Hopefully they will be - we shall see! Thanks for reviewing!

Vikki: No I will not tell you! You are so impatient!! *frowns* Honestly!

****

Chapter 8

Elladan watched the regular rise and fall of Hero's chest. How he hated himself more than ever, for it was his fault that Hero was here. Yet another surely put to death for his failings in his character. Why did he always have to be in control?

His brother was of little help to him. Once again his eyes were cast downwards unable to meet his brother's gaze and greet the failure mirrored in it. "Hero forgive us... we were only doing what we thought was best. We didn't want to lose you." 

Elladan's words sounded pathetic in comparison to the bad deeds they had performed and would offer little comfort to all that they had caused to be hurt by their actions. Elrohir snorted. "What do you mean by that?" Elladan asked. 

"What is the point, there is no undoing what has been done." He said wisely. "No words spoken by you will rouse our sister. We have killed her as much as we are the reason that mother left."

Elladan stood and paced Hero's chamber. "There must be a way to rouse her." He said. " I will not stand by idly and watch grief take her."

"That is something that is now beyond our control. Whether she lives now is up to the grace of the Valar. We play no part in it." He hung his head. "Indeed we should be sent to Mandos for the foul deeds we have allowed ourselves to undertake." He cleared his throat. "I know that you believe yourself to be the wisest of the two of us.... but listen to me now brother and know my words to be true...... It is best that we leave Rivendell.... It is best that we live out our days alone and without causing any more threat or harm to any others..... know this to be true."

Elladan allowed a single tear to fall down his cheek as he took Hero's hand in his for the last time. "Rest well my dear sister." He said. "And know that your brother, who will have departed from here, if ever you should wake, thought only for the best and loves you with all of his heart and is sorry for what has befallen you with the entirety of his soul."

Elrohir took her other hand and whispered. "As is this brother."

For a moment the twins met each other's gaze. A quiet understanding passed between them.

"Farewell." Elladan whispered into his sister's ear.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Aragorn turned back to face his childhood home. It was now merely haze in the distance. He already longed to be back there. He longed for the last few days to never have happened. He urged his horse onwards.

"Where are we going?" Boromir asked at his side.

"To Mirkwood." Aragorn replied bluntly.

"For what reason?" Faramir asked.

"I have some unfinished business with my friend the Prince." Aragorn answered.

"Forgive me, Aragorn but your tone is cold.... what is this unfinished business?" Boromir enquired.

"A task I wish was not mine." He replied solemnly. It occurred to him what an impossible situation he was in. He knew in his heart that he would not be able to slay his friend. Yet it seemed now impossible not to now that he knew that he had the love of the Evenstar and it was the only task that would prevent them living a happy future together if it were not to be undertaken. He sighed. Aragorn was not a murderer, yet a murderer he would have to be to keep his love. "Impossible" He muttered.

"What is?" Faramir asked.

"Everything." Aragorn replied. "Indeed I thought the war with Mordor was a battle of monstrous proportions!" He sighed again, it was nothing in comparison to the battle that was taking place in his heart at that moment. 

"The war with Mordor **was** a battle of monstrous proportions!" Boromir exclaimed. Quite fearing his cousin had gone mad. He met Faramir's gaze and a bemused look passed between them.

"What ails the King?" Faramir asked.

"A battle of monstrous proportions." He replied flatly.

Faramir started. "I do not understand is there to be another war?" He asked.

"NO!" Aragorn yelled. "It is not that kind of war!" He pointed to his head. "This war is between this." He then pointed to his heart. "And this." He sighed. "This war is between what I know is right and wrong and over what I know must be done and what should not be done!"

Faramir blinked.

"And yet I must do it or lose the love of the Evenstar." Aragorn finished.

Boromir gasped. "I was not aware that you even had the love of the Evenstar?" 

"Neither, dear cousin was I until yesterday evening." He shook his head. "And to prove my love, the lady has requested that I kill Legolas to avenge Hero."

"Aragorn, you must not." Faramir cried.

"Indeed, Aragorn, please do not tell me that you intend to go through with this?" Boromir said with concern. "You are a King... you cannot just go about killing whomever you choose!" 

"I know this." Aragorn replied. "But I doubt very much that I could live without the Evenstar now." It was decided. He would avenge Hero at the cost of his friend's life. It would take two weeks to reach Mirkwood.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Two days later.....

Gimli son of Gloin, had never believed himself to be a particularly romantic dwarf. Indeed there was little time for romance to fit into his busy schedule. He had never been in love. He had never wished to fall in love. However, as he sat in the in of the Rising Sun on the outskirts of the supposed elven realm of Rivendell. He swore that the tale he had just overheard was enough to make even the harshest of grown up dwarves cry. In fact it had put him off his ale.

The elven twins were quite a sight to behold. Both had hair so dark it was almost black, both had eyes as green as newly sprung grass, they did not look real to him.

It appeared that the brothers had left their homes in the fair elven city, disgraced. They had by calamity and mis-intention destroyed their younger sister's life and had more than likely caused her death. That was sad but not the saddest part of their tale.

"I believe that we shall never return." He heard one of them say. "Even now I feel grief tugging at my heart and I long to fall to darkness and never awake to see a fair sunrise again."

The other merely nodded. 

"Our quest now is to find a place to die." He continued. "It would be for the best if we were forgotten to this world. Aye, on Middle Earth we shall stay. The elves of the grey haven would not welcome us."

The other twin... whom Gimli perceived to be the weakest of the two said nothing.

"Who ever would have thought the sons of Elrond would end up like this?"

Gimli was a well-learned dwarf. He was not particularly fond of Elves but even he knew that Lord Elrond was a well-to-do Elf. The twins sad story had pulled at a part of his heart that up until that point he did not know that he possessed. He could not let them leave this dingy inn without a small attempt to save them.

Mentally he calculated how long it would take for him to reach Rivendell, bearing in mind that he did not know exactly where it was. He deducted it would take three days at most. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a potion that he had acquired from a witch several days before. He had planned to use it to knock out some trolls and steal their gold, but this he decided was a better cause. 

He approached the bar and ordered two glasses of the finest wine he could afford and discreetly poured the foul-smelling potion into the glasses. "Hope this works!" He muttered before approaching the elves' table.

"Good evening Masters." He said wearily. "I am sorry to interrupt, but I overheard your sad tale and thought perhaps that you would like to have these."

The Twins regarded him with distrust. Gimli cleared his throat. "Any way I'll leave you to it."

He retreated back to his table and watched with delight as the two elves drank the entire glasses of wine. He sighed, it would be an hour or so before the potion would effect them. He only hoped that they would not stray far from the inn. He did not posses a horse and was not light of foot as they were. Luckily for him the unfortunate elves did not leave their table, and fell asleep right there. Now his only problem was getting them outside and carrying them to Rivendell. He was strong. He was sure he could manage one on each shoulder.

The innkeeper regarded the elves with disgust. "I thought them elves was supposed to be elegant and stuff." He remarked. "I ain't seen no one as drunk as this for years.... Look they've clean passed out!" Gimli stood and went to his aid. 

"I think a bit of fresh air will sort them out!" He said and lifted one on each shoulder. The Innkeeper watched as the most bizarre sight he had ever encountered unfolded before his eyes. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The journey to Rivendell had been a lot more arduous than Gimli had expected and the elven princes a lot heavier than he thought they would be. He placed them down roughly and knocked twice on the heavy wooden gates. "Curse elves and their damn security." He muttered. Indeed, he was there only to do them a favour and it had taken him far too long to find this rather beautiful place. 

He sighed as he glanced at the twins bedraggled appearance. It was most unlikely that a dwarf of his stature could carry two six foot elves and not drag them through the odd puddle or muddy path. The twins were no where near as elegant or beautiful as they were when he had first encountered them. In fact it would be quite easy for one to mistake them for humans in the state they were in. He shrugged. At least they were alive. Lord Elrond, he was sure would be grateful for that.

"OI!" He yelled. "Am I to be left standing here all day? I have a matter of much import to speak to Lord Elrond about."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"A dwarf?" Elrond said exasperated. Indeed it seemed to be so that his children intended to be the end of him. "Are you telling me that my sons were carried home unconscious by a dwarf?"

"It appears to be so." The guard replied. "One Gimli Son of Gloin."

"At least it was a dwarf of some name!" Elrond said. "Lead me to them." He followed the guard swiftly, pausing momentarily outside Hero's chamber. Upon seeing no change in her condition he continued on.

The dwarf looked exhausted, the smaller creature's shoulders sagged with fatigue and the small part of his face above the beard was pale.

"Gimli, Son of Gloin? Do tell me how it is that my sons have ended up in this state."

Gimli stood. "First of all I think it would be courteous to offer a dwarf a drink, seeing that he has been travelling these past two days with one of your sons on each shoulder in search of your precious Rivendell?" He said aggressively. 

Elrond raised an eyebrow.

"But then you elves have never been known for your manners have you?"

Elrond resisted the urge to become angry at the dwarfs impertinence and offered him an elven draft to replenish his strength. He watched in disgust as the dwarf drank it noisily.

"Pray, now will you tell me how my sons came to be in this predicament?" 

Gimli sat down and recited the entire story that he had overheard the Twins speak.

Elrond said nothing at first but Gimli was sure he saw the beginnings of tears in the Elf's eyes. "Is that the truth?" He said with awe. 

"That is what I overheard I swear on Eru himself." Gimli replied.

"Well then all of this is my fault!" Elrond wailed. "For if I had made them believe that their mother's passing was not their fault...... and now fair Hero suffers because of it.... How did I allow for this to happen?"

Gimli shrugged. 

"Thank you for bringing me this ill news." He said listlessly. "Rivendell is your home for as long as you desire it to be."

Gimli nodded with gratitude, although his heart called to the caves he was born in. Rivendell was entirely too light and airy for his tastes.

Elrond turned to a guard. "Where is Arwen? Bring her forth to me." He ordered.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


	8. chapter 8

**Disclaimer: I do not own Lord of the Rings... obviously.  
  
Chapter 8**  
  
"You will make yourself ill with all this worry." Glorfindel said as he watched Lord Elrond pace his vast study.  
  
Elrond did not answer and continued his exercise, pacing helped him to think and at that moment in time he would do anything to help his thought process. "I can not rest until I figure out what should be done." He began. "Hero has been wronged, yet the disgrace was caused by my own sons... how can that be. How did this happen beneath my own nose?"  
  
Glorfindel, as everyone else in Rivendell, had his theories about Elrond's twin sons. The twins were rude, disagreeable, they liked to linger in dark corners... listening always listening. He for one did not trust them, and it had come as no surprise to him that they were behind this awful mess.  
  
They had both been delightful as children. In fact he could not remember two children that he thought more highly of during those years. The elflings were eager to learn, mischievous and utterly adorable. This kind nature had lasted long throughout their adolescent years and into their early thousand. It was a fateful day that changed their world forever.  
  
Glorfindel remembered the day that Celebrian was returned to them, bloodied and pale. He did not hold out much hope that the lady would last another night, such were the extent of her injuries. Through some miracle the Lady lived but her existence changed much. Her love for middle earth was fading, and in the end no joy could be found for her. Not even the joy of being a mother. Day by Day the call of the Sea became stronger until one day she could resist it no longer.  
  
Elladan and Elrohir blamed themselves for her fate as it had been the two of them that had failed her.  
  
Not many people dared to approach Lord Elrond on the matter of his dear wife. Glorfindel included. The mere mention of her name brought such pain to Lord Elrond's eyes that an immense feeling of guilt would accompany the utterance of it. Today however was a grim day and he had always thought that on days such as these ugly truths must be faced. He cleared his throat.  
  
"Your son's are wounded deeply." He began softly. "You know this for you feel their pain also... you bid them linger when perhaps they should have left also."  
  
Elrond stopped pacing, and Glorfindel swore he could almost see the Lord crumple before him. "Do not speak of things you know nothing of." He said lowly. It had been almost a century ago put the agony was still so raw to him.  
  
"Sorry Elrond... The truth is sometimes hard to face but it must be just that... it must be faced and embraced." Glorfindel joined his friend, who had paused by the window, and placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. "Elladan and Elrohir have no place on Middle Earth... they must cross the sea before their bitterness destroys them completely."  
  
Elrond had known it all along... he had seen it in the Twins eyes as the ship that carried their mother forth to Valinor faded into the horizon. He saw in each of them, a part of their heart die He knew then it was time for his son's to leave. Selfishly though, he could not bear to lose them too.  
  
"Any news of the Mirkwood Prince?" Elrond said, changing the subject.  
  
"None. King Aragorn has returned from Mirkwood with his cousins just one hour ago. Perhaps he will have news be it ill or not." He said shaking his head forlornly.  
  
"The Mirkwood Prince, I cannot bear to even speak his name. For it was that name that brought woe and pain to my daughter." Elrond said angrily. "He should be punished for what he has put her through." Elrond slammed his hand down on his desk. "We all should be punished for what she   
has been put through."  
  
Glorfindel sighed. "And you all have been punished have you not?" He reasoned. "None more so than Hero herself."  
  
Elrond frowned as a response.  
  
"I know you would not hear me speak but please... for her sake hear me now.... Hero is alive Elrond, the Valar saw to it that she was returned to you and that the same light burns brightly in her eyes.... the same love for Legolas consumes her heart. Their marriage was one that was meant to be."  
  
"Meant to be?" Elrond echoed. "Well then one would assume that Legolas's feelings for Hero matched hers for him... and yet he cast her so brutally aside when...."  
  
"Legolas is blameless in this. He was not the foot of this deceit. Your sons were at that root. They are to blame for all that has passed these few days. I would watch where you lay blame." Glorfindel retorted. "If in your heart, you can not see a way to believe Legolas loves Hero then I will prove it to you."  
  
"How do you mean to do that?" Elrond asked.  
  
"Who knows other than you and myself that Hero awoke from her slumber?"  
  
"None... save Arwen." Elrond replied.  
  
"Tell no one." Glorfindel instructed.  
  
"Why? What do you mean...?"  
  
"Aragorn will have told his friend that Hero has slipped into grief no doubt." He began. " We will send a messenger to Mirkwood to inform him wrongly that Hero has passed from grief to shadow and no longer shall her fair face grace Middle Earth." Elrond paused and frowned.  
  
"Glorfindel that idea is ludicrous... Why should we do that?"  
  
"Indeed, upon hearing that Hero has died Legolas will return, mark my words for he loves her. He will need to see this with his own eyes that she is gone." Glorfindel explained.  
  
Elrond began to pace again. This time there was more happiness in his step. "None shall know of Hero's recovery." He began. "Indeed When she is well I shall have her escorted to another part of the house and only Arwen shall sit with her and take care of her. All the people of Rivendell shall think her dead. Upon hearing our sad news Legolas will return as you say.... I will challenge him..."  
  


* * *

  
  
"Where is Lady Arwen?" Aragorn asked a flustered serving elf.  
  
The King's internal battle had resolved itself on route to Mirkwood. He had decided, with the help of his cousins that it would be a foolish thing indeed to slay Legolas. In fact, the Gondorians had given him such a telling of that he had to promise them that he would never entertain such ridiculous thoughts again.  
  
"Thranduil's son!" Boromir had bellowed. "Not only is he the one that you claim is your best friend but he is a prince. To kill him would mean outright war!" He paused. "I don't know about you but I have seen enough war for three lifetimes let alone one!"  
  
Aragorn had not quite considered that consequence of his actions. Indeed Thranduil would want revenge on the one that had murdered his only son!  
  
The more important reason not to kill him was that he was Aragorn's best friend and he had done nothing wrong. Aragorn had seen with his own eyes what took place on the balcony of Hero's room all those nights ago.  
  
Therefore, he concluded, that the only reason that he would be killing Legolas was because Arwen had asked him to...  
  
He was right all along. Love was an affliction, a madness... it was the only explanation. Why else would he have even considered killing his friend.  
  
Upon his return to Rivendell he was very angry with Arwen indeed.  


* * *

  
  
The Lady herself was wallowing in a pool of her own shame. "Valar! How could I have been so stupid?"   
  
Indeed, it was most unlike her to act so foolishly. How could she ever have asked Aragorn to kill another elf? She doubted her own sanity. She felt sick with herself. The only happy news she had received that was her sister had awoken. The relief was overwhelming. Her father was being most secretive about Hero's recovery. He had moved her bed to a far corner of the house and had requested that Arwen keep news of Hero's awakening secret. She had so dearly wanted to scream the news from the rooftops.   
  
There was only the matter of Aragorn to put a darkener on her mood. "Why am I so stupid?!" She whispered harshly.  
  
To add to that, Of late, the Lady of Rivendell had taken to talking to herself.  
  
"I am a fool." She said aloud. "An unbelievably ridiculous, rash, stubborn idiot."  
  
"There is no need to be quite so hard on yourself but I agree that you are indeed. All those things and more."  
  
Arwen started and turned to face her intruder. She was both shocked and pleased to see Aragorn standing there with his arms folded. Quite uninvited a smile came to her lips, only to be chased away again quickly with a deep frown.  
  
"Are you back so soon?" She said loftily. She was grasping at a way of explaining herself to him.   
  
"Yes. Murder does not take too much time when you know how... " He began. "... There is the planning of course, that was all taken care of on our journey towards Thranduil's dark kingdom." He paused to gage a reaction and was delighted to see the look of horror on Arwen's face "Of course when I arrived it was easy for me to see Legolas as I was his best friend. A swift drab of poison and...." He snapped his fingers. "Your wish is my command Lady." he added taking a bow.  
  
Arwen gasped as the consequences of Legolas's death engulfed her. There would be a war. Thranduil would slay Rivendell in it's entirety if news reached him that she was at the heart of Legolas's death.  
  
"Tell me you did not." She began. "You did not kill him?"  
  
Aragorn raised his hands in mock frustration. "Why is it not possible for the Lady to make up her mind?" He asked the heavens. "First she wants me to slay the Prince and now she does not! Well... they do say it is a woman's prerogative to change her mind." He said shrugging  
  
After a moment he returned his gaze to Arwen, who's expression was pained to say the least. He could keep up the pretence no longer.   
  
"Think you that I would do such a thing?" He asked finally. "I could never kill Legolas not even for you." He said lowly. "Not for all the wealth and happiness in the world would I kill him, he is my friend."  
  
"Oh thank Elbereth!" Arwen exclaimed. Then she paused as Aragorn's attempt to make fun of her became obvious. "How dare you make a joke out of my...."  
  
"No my Lady!" Aragorn exclaimed over her protests. "How Dare you!"  
  
"Excuse me!"  
  
"How Dare you... take advantage of my feelings for you and ask me to commit such an unthinkable act?" He said angrily. "How dare you, make me feel as if I must kill to deserve your love?"   
  
Arwen frowned. "You know I did not mean it." She said as calmly as she could manage. "I was angry."  
  
"Yes well you are always angry." Aragorn said. "And rude and hateful to me... if I did not know better I would say that you retained the same fondness for me as you do.... your horse."  
  
Arwen smirked. "I love Asfaloth far more! A least he is polite to me and is not big headed or..." Oh Valar! She had resorted to outright insults. Her last defence mechanism.  
  
"I am not bigheaded!" Aragorn interrupted. "Arwen that has nothing to do with it at any rate! Admit that you were wrong... you know you were... so apologise."  
  
"Harumph!" Arwen replied. She could not say sorry even though she had never felt more so.  
  
Realising she really had no excuse for her actions and she was not in a position at that moment in time to win any arguments, Arwen decided to keep her mouth shut. Instead of shouting at Aragorn which would be the normal way in which she would respond in these situations she decided to sulk. Aragorn knew her far too well and would have an answer for any defence for herself that she could think to retort with. The truth was that there was not one anyway.  
  
Seeing Arwen's expression change from seething anger to extreme unhappiness stopped Aragorn in his tracks. He fought with himself momentarily. One one hand he would forgive her anything, he understood the anger behind her request for the ending of Legolas's life. Yet on the other.... on the other he was equally as stubborn as her and he did not get the opportunity to be in the right very often where she was concerned. He ruled that as that was the case, he should take advantage of this moment and give her the telling off she deserved.  
  
"Arwen you are a hateful spoilt brat!" He spat. "Over the years I have known you, my life has been torture!"   
  
There, the truth was finally out. The fact that this was true did not change his feelings for her. The Lady's face was a mask of shame. Still Aragorn thought she needed to hear these truths and he would say them.   
  
"No more than mine!" Arwen retorted, before he had the chance to, and folded her arms crossly.   
Indeed, she had been happy enough before Aragorn came along. She had survived over two thousand years in this world without him. She did not need him at all.  
  
"You never give people a chance... do you have a single kind bone in your body?" Aragorn said, he folded his arms defiantly.   
  
"I do, for those who warrant kind treatment." She replied coldly.  
  
"Am I not one of those people, Arwen?" Aragorn said, his tone a little lighter. "For I could swear to it that I heard you say you loved me before I left for Mirkwood."  
  
Arwen's mouth fell open. "I did... I did... not mean it... I was upset because of Hero and I..."  
  
"So now you will deny that you love me?"   
  
"I will."   
  
Aragorn's heart sank. There was something amiss here, the feelings of elves did not alter so quickly.  
  
"You're lying." He said quietly but firmly. "I know you and you are lying."  
  
"Do you think that you are irrisistable?" Arwen said as coldly as she could manage. "Do you seriously think that I could ever love you?" She said in a derrogative tone. "Sorry but you are mistaken." She turned away. "I love no one."  
  
"Do not do this Arwen." Aragorn said. "You condemn us both to...."  
  
"If you don't mind... I must visit my father... Hero has awoken from her slumber... he has a plan of which he wants to tell me." Arwen said, forgetting her father's request that she tell no one.  
  
"Then I shall go with you." Aragorn said matter-of-factly.  
  
The trip to Elrond's office was one of aggravated silence. Arwen looked irritably at Aragorn. It was true to say at that moment that she hated him. How dare he lecture her? She was an elf! How dare he speak to her in such a patronising manner?   
  
It would not take a genius to understand that Arwen knew that she was in the wrong, although she was far too stubborn an elf to admit that fact. Especially to Aragorn, the King would never let her live it down. She sighed audibly. She did love him. Whether she wanted to or not.  
  
"What is it?" Aragorn asked. "Today is a day of joy is it not? Hero has awoken and I have returned ... your life should now be perfect."   
  
"By Elbereth! You must think my standards low!" Arwen retorted.  
  
Aragorn made a sound of mock pain. "And I thought I had slain all my enemies back in Mordor!" He exclaimed.  
  
Arwen fought the smile that came to her lips. "No... I promise that you shall always have an enemy in me!" She said with a slight laugh.  
  
"Oh..." Aragorn said sadly. "At least that is something I can rely on." He stopped walking and knew that Arwen would too. Several moments later as he predicted Arwen turned to him.   
  
"I thought you meant to join me?" She said.  
  
Aragorn smiled. "I did... I do." He said. "But not just to Lord Elrond's study, but everywhere else too." He was not too sure where he found the bravery to say the words. He loved Arwen in spite of her faults and the Lady had many. Please let us cease this pretence and admit the way things are... I love you and...  
  
Arwen turned away uncomfortably. "You still...." She couldn't bring herself to say the words. "Even though..." She paused once more and collected her thoughts. "But I have been hateful." She finally admitted.   
  
"Yes you have." He agreed. "What can I say? I am a glutton for punishment."  
  
The pair walked in silence to the door of Elrond's study. Arwen raised her hand to knock when Aragorn stopped her.   
  
"Before we go in." He said seriously. "I mean to ask your father for your hand in marriage. Promise me now that you shall not make make a fool out of me?"   
  
Arwen nodded, although it was a completely involuntary action. "I shall not." She said quickly.  
  



End file.
